Pump for refrigerating apparatus



June 29, 1937. H. A. GREENWALD 2,035,356

PUMP FOR REFRIGERATING APPARATUS I Original Filed Sept. 2, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l-larold A. Gireenwafd B v 2 I I ATTORNEY 9 June 29, 1937.

H. A. GREENWALD PUMP FOR REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Original Filed Sept. 2, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 luvlsujrofl Hamid. A. Gregnwald I ATTORN EY 5 Patented June 29, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PUMP FOR REFRIGEBATING APPARATUS igan Application September 2, 1930, Serial No. 479,395 Renewed October 16, 1935 15 Claims. (Cl. 230-206) This invention relates generally to refrigerating apparatus and consists of certain novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through an assembly embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is an end view of the construction illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is another end view of the construction illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the compressor unit comprises a casing i of substantially cylindrical formation having openings 2 and 3 respectively at its opposite ends. Closure plates 4 and 5 are provided for said openings and a partition 6 extends transversely of the casing intermediate its ends and divides the casing into compartments A and B respectively. A shaft 1 is journaled in the partition 6 and closure 5 and is operatively connected to a motor 8 in the compartment A which has an armature shaft 9 sleeved upon the shaft 1. A device in is provided for transmitting power'from the armature shaft 9 to the shaft I the other end of which is connected to a refrigerant compressor ll within the compartment 13 having a piston 12 connected by a rod l3 to an eccentric portion M of the shaft 7. 5 A seal 15 on the shaft 1 is adapted to prevent the escape of refrigerant and/or oil along the shaft through the closure 5 to the atmosphere.' The power transmitting device an and seal i5 consti tute the subject matter of other applications of 40 mine, hence need not be specifically described in this application.

In the present instance it will be noted that the motor 8 is separated from the compressor ii by the partition 6 so that the motor will not be 45 flooded by lubricant or oil from the compressor. However, the refrigerant together with a small quantity of lubricating oil returning from the cooling unit (not shown) of the refrigerating apparatus is discharged from the return line con- 5 duit 16 into the motor compartment A adjacent the bottom H thereof. The refrigerant in the form of a gas substantially fills the motor compartment A, while the oil gravitates to the bottom of said compartment. Lubricating oil thrown 55 from the device in, and oil leaking past the end of the bearing I! for the shaft 1 also gravitates to the bottom of the compartment A. However. such oil can only reach a certain level and this level is determined by the location within the chamber A of the lower end i8 of a substantially vertical tube It. As shown this tube it extends upwardly in the casing from a point adjacent the bottom ll' thereof and has a laterally extending portion 20 at its upper end extending through the partition 6 at a point slightly below but in substantially the vertical plane of the inlet port 2| of the compressor II.

In use, the refrigerant and oil in the motor compartment A are drawn upwardly in the tube 19 by means of suction created by the piston I! of the compressor. As the compressor piston operates the refrigerant discharged from the lateral portion 20 of the tube I9 is drawn through the port 2| into the cylinder 22 of the compressor and is compressed in the usual manner by the piston. The oil discharged from the lateral portion 20 of the tube falls by gravity in the compressor chamber B and is received in a pocket or trough 23 one end of which is located below the discharge end of said tube. Such oil then flows from the pocket 23 through a passage 24 to the bearing H or overflows fromthe pocket 23 to the oil at the bottom of the compressor chamber B.

During an idle period of the refrigerating apparatus the refrigerant in the cooling unit of the apparatus absorbs heat which causes the vapor pressure of the refrigerant in the cooling unit to rise. This increased pressure is manifest throughout the low side of the apparatus which includes the motor compartment A and compressor compartment B. The oil in the compressor compartment B will absorb refrigerant gas in proportion to the pressure of this gas. In other words, the higher the pressure of the gas above the oil level the greater the amount of gas that goes into solution with the oil. For example, the gas and oil solution obtained is analogous to the solution of carbon dioxide in ginger ale or beer. In the case of a bottle of ginger ale or beer the gas that is in solution in the liquid is under pressure until the cork is removed whereupon an intense foaming action ensues. This foam is caused by the attempt of the gas to liberate itself from the liquid. In the case of the refrigerating apparatus the same phenomena take place when the apparatus starts up after an idle period. The pressure is lowered to its normal point according to the setting of the expansion valve, or due to the refrigeration and consequent cooling taking place in the cooling unit, in the case of a flooded cooling unit. This lowering of the pressure throughout the whole low side including the compressor compartment B liberates the excess gas that has gone into solution with the oil during the idle period and causes the foaming phenomena. described above. Were it not for the tube l9 and the location of the lateral portion 20 thereof relative to the intake port 2| of the compressor, the foam referred to would rise sufficiently high in the compartment B to enter the intake port H of the compressor. Excess oil entering the cylinder 22 in this manner would be squeezed between the head of the piston and the cylinder head at the top of the stroke and would cause a knocking noise. However, as the lateral portion 20 of the tube I9 is located below and in the same vertical plane as the inlet port 2| the return gas discharged by the tube at relatively high velocity deflects the blanket of foam and prevents it from approaching the inlet port 2|. At the same time the gas discharged from the tube is is permitted to pass directly into the port 2| of the compressor.

While it is believed that from the foregoing description the nature and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, I desire to have it understood that I do not limit myself to what is herein shown and described and that such changes may be resorted to when desired as fall within the scope of what is claimed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, a casing having a motor compartment and a compressor compartment, conduit means for conducting vaporized refrigerant and some oil to said motor compartment from a source outside said casing, and means for withdrawing the refrigerant and oil from the motor compartment and discharging the same into the compressor compartment said means being arranged to pass only the refrigerant directly into the compressor.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a casing having a motor compartment and a compressor compartment, means for conducting refrigerant and oil to said motor compartment at a point adjacent the bottom thereof, and means for withdrawing the refrigerant and oil from the motor compartment and discharging the same into the compressor compartment, including a tube extending upwardly in the motor compartment from a point adjacent the bottom thereof and having its discharge end in communication with said compressor compartment.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a -casing having adjacent motor and compressor compartments, a compressor in the compressor compartment having a refrigerant inlet port in one side thereof, means for conducting refrigerant to the motor compartment, and means for conducting refrigerant from the motor compartment to the compressor compartment, including conduit means having a discharge portion in said compressor compartment below but in substantially the vertical plane of the inlet port of said compressor, whereby only refrigerant discharged from the tube may pass directly to said inlet.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a casing having a motor compartment and a compressor compartment, a compressor in the compressor compartment having a refrigerant inlet opening disposed in the upper portion of said compartment, means for conducting refrigerant and oil to the motor compartment, and a tube for conducting refrigerant and oil from the motor compartment to the compressor compartment, the inlet of said tube being so arranged in the motor compartment that the level to which oil in said compartment may rise is predetermined, and the outlet end of said tube being arranged in I such a way with respect to said compressor inlet inlet in one side thereof, means for conducting refrigerant and oil to the motor compartment, and means for withdrawing oil and refrigerant from said motor compartment and discharging the same into the compressor compartment, said means including a tube having means for determining the level to which 011 in the motor compartment may rise and having other means in the vertical plane of and opening toward the inlet aforesaid so that only the refrigerant may pass therefrom directly to said inlet and foam is deflected from said inlet.

6. In combination, a substantially tubular casing provided at its opposite ends with closures and provided intermediate its ends with a partition that divides the casing longitudinally into two compartments, a refrigerant compressor in one compartment, having a refrigerant inlet in one side thereof and having a piston for compressing the refrigerant received through said inlet, means for conducting refrigerant and oil to the second compartment, and means for conducting refrigerant and oil from the second compartment to the first compartment, including a tube extending upwardly in the second compartment and having a lateral portion extending through the partition, the lower end of said tube being spaced a predetermined distance above the bottom of the second compartment whereby the level of oil in said second compartment may be determined, and the lateral portion of said tube terminating below but in substantial vertical alignment with the inlet aforesaid in the compressor whereby refrigerant and oil are drawn upwardly in the tube from the second compartment to the first compartment by the suction created by the piston of the compressor, and the refrigerant and oil discharged by the lateral portion of the tube will deflect from the inlet of the compressor any blanket of foam formed in the compressor compartment when the compressor starts up after an idle period but will permit refrigerant discharged from the lateral portion of the tube to enter the inlet of said compressor.

"7. In combination, a casing having two compartments separated by a common partition, a refrigerant compressor in one compartment, having a refrigerant inlet in the side nearest the partition, and having a piston for compressing the refrigerant received through said inlet, means for conducting refrigerant and oil to the second compartment, and means for conducting refrigerant and oil from the second compartment to the first compartment, including a tube extending upwardly in the second compartment and having a portion extending through the partition, the said portion of the tube terminating below but in substantially vertical alignment with the inlet aforesaid in the compressor whereby refrigerant and oil are drawn upwardly in the tube from the second compartment to the first compartment by the suction. created by the piston of the compressor, and the refrigerant and oil discharged by the portion aforesaid of the tube will deflect from the inlet of the compressor any blanket of foam formed in the compressor compartment when the compressor starts up after an idle period but will permit refrigerant discharged from the said portion of the tube to enter the inlet of said compressor.

8. In a refrigerating apparatus the combination of a casing, a partition dividing said casing into a motor compartment and a compressor compartment, a driving motor and a cylinder type compressor in said respective compartments, a horizontally disposed shaft interconnecting said motor and compressor, conduit means for conducting gaseous refrigerant and a lubricant into the motor compartment from an external source, and means for withdrawing the refrigerant and lubricant from the motor compartment and discharging the same into the compressor compartment and so arranged that only the refrigerant is passed directly to the compressor.

9. In a refrigerating apparatus the combination, of a casing, a vertical partition dividing said easing into a motor compartment and a compressor compartment, a driving motor and a cylinder type compressor in said respective compartments, said compressor having an inlet port disposed in the upper portion of its compartment, a horizontally disposed shaft journalled in a bearing in said partition and interconnecting said motor and compressor, conduit means for conducting gaseous refrigerant and a lubricant into the motor compartment from an external source and means for withdrawing the refrigerant and lubricant from the motor compartment and discharging the same into the compressor compartment, comprising means for deflecting foam from the compressor inlet port and means associated therewith for applying lubricant to said shaft bearing.

10. In an apparatus of the character described, a casing, partition means dividing said casing into a motor compartment and a compressor compartment, a motor in said motor compartment, a compressor in said compressor compartment, means for conducting refrigerant and oil to said motor compartment at a point adjacent the bottom thereof, and means for withdrawing the refrigerant and oil from the motor compartment and discharging same into the compressor compartment including said compressor and communicating means extending upwardly from a predetermined point adjacent the bottom of said motor compartment and through said partition means and having its discharge end in communication with the inlet of said compressor in said compressor compartment.

11. In an apparatus of the character described, a casing, partition means dividing' said easing into a motor compartment and a compressor compartment, a motor in said motor compartment, a compressor in said compressor compartment, means for conducting refrigerant and oil to the bottom of said motor compartment from a source outside said casing, means for conducting lubricating oil from said compressorcompartment to a moving element of said motor in said motor compartment whence the oil passes to the bottom of said motor compartment, and means for withdrawing the refrigerant and oil from the motor compartment and discharging same into the compressor compartment including said compressor and fluid communicating means extending upwardly from a predetermined point adjacent the bottom of said motor compartment to the opposite side of said partition means and having its discharge end in communication with the inlet of said compressor in said compressor compartment.

12. In a refrigerating apparatus, a casing, a transversely extending partition within said casing and provided with a bearing for receiving a rotating shaft, a pocket for oil above said hearing, and a passage for oil leading from the pocket to the bearing, a shaft in the bearing and having a passage therein for oil, and said bearing having means for conducting oil from the first mentioned passage to said shaft.

13. In a refrigerating apparatus, a casing, a

transversely extending partition within said casing and provided with a bearing for receiving a rotating shaft, a pocket for oil above said bearing, and a passage for oil leading from the pocket to the bearing, a shaft in the bearing and having a passage therein for oil, and said bearing having means for conducting oil from the first mentioned passage to said shaft, and means for conducting oil from the lower part of said casing to said pocket.

14. In a refrigerating apparatus, a casing, a transversely extending partition within said casing and provided with a bearing for receiving a rotating shaft, 9. pocket for oil above said bearing, on one side of said partition, and a passage for 011 leading from the pocket to the bearing, a shaft in the bearing and having a passage therein for oil, said bearing having means for conducting oil from the first mentioned passage to said shaft, and communicating means through said partition for conducting oil from the lower part of said casing to said pocket.

15. In an apparatus of the character described, a casing, partition means dividing said casing into a motor compartment and a compressor compartment, a motor in said motor compartment, a compressor in said compressor compartment, said partition'being provided with a bearing for receiving a rotating shaft, a pocket for oil above said bearing in the compressor compartment, and a passage for oil leading from the pocket to the bearing, a shaft in the bearing and having a passage therein for oil extending into the motor compartment, said bearing having means for conducting oil from the first mentioned passage tosaid shaft, and means providing a passage between the motor and compressor compartments for conducting oil which leaks through said bearing into the motor compartment back to said compressor compartment.

HAROLD A. GREENWALD. 

